Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: Daily Roundup June 24, 2020

FDA News Release

• For Immediate Release: June 24, 2020

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced the following actions taken in its ongoing response effort to the COVID-19 pandemic:

• Today, FDA launched the first “FDA Insight” podcast, featuring FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn, M.D., and FDA Deputy Commissioner for Medical and Scientific Affairs Anand Shah, M.D., discussing FDA's COVID-19 efforts, including the drug development process for a COVID-19 treatment. Future FDA Insight podcasts will feature Hahn, Shah, and other FDA leaders’ insights into issues facing the agency — including the COVID-19 pandemic and other emerging topics.
• FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn, M.D., spoke at the German Marshall Fund’s Brussels Forum 2020. This 15th edition of the forum, live-streamed/posted on YouTube, featured a 25-minute conversation with Dr. Hahn, moderated by Axios Health Care Editor Sam Baker.
• Today, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn, M.D., issued the following joint USDA-FDA statement regarding food export restrictions pertaining to COVID-19:

  The United States understands the concerns of consumers here domestically and around the world who want to know that producers, processors and regulators are taking every necessary precaution to prioritize food safety especially during these challenging times. However, efforts by some countries to restrict global food exports related to COVID-19 transmission are not consistent with the known science of transmission.
  
  There is no evidence that people can contract COVID-19 from food or from food packaging. The U.S. food safety system, overseen by our agencies, is the global leader in ensuring the safety of our food products, including product for export.

• Testing updates:
  • To date, there are 149 currently-authorized tests under EUAs; these include 125 molecular tests, 23 antibody tests, and 1 antigen test.

The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation, and for regulating tobacco products.